New Milford, Danbury storm victims identified

Nanci G. Hutson and John Pirro

Updated 6:24 pm, Sunday, February 10, 2013

Edgar Chaves of Bridgeport works to free his late model Nissan Altima from the snow on the 1000 block of East Main St. in Bridgeport, Conn.on Sunday Feb. 10, 2013. Many residents are still digging out from the weekend blizzard.
Photo: Mike Ross

Edgar Chaves of Bridgeport works to free his late model Nissan...

Nichols St on the East Side of Bridgeport, Conn. was still not plowed in the afternoon on Sunday Feb. 10, 2013.
Photo: Mike Ross

Nichols St on the East Side of Bridgeport, Conn. was still not...

A large payloader makes it way down East Main Street in Bridgeport, Conn. to continue snow removal on Sunday Feb. 10, 2013. Town officials and residents are still working to get out from under the weekend blizzard.
Photo: Mike Ross

A large payloader makes it way down East Main Street in Bridgeport,...

Jose Carrasquillo shovels snow in front of Mendez Wine & Liquor on East Main St. in Bridgeport, Conn. on Sunday Feb. 10, 2013.
Photo: Mike Ross

Jose Carrasquillo shovels snow in front of Mendez Wine & Liquor on...

East Side residents on Putnam Ave. and East Main St. in Bridgeport, Conn. work to free their automobiles from the snow dumped on the city over the weekend.
Photo: Mike Ross

East Side residents on Putnam Ave. and East Main St. in Bridgeport,...

Gridlock traffic on East Main St. in Bridgeport, Conn. on Sunday Feb. 10, 2013.. Some major roads are plowed throughout city however not wide enough for two-way traffic. City officials still working around the clock to free residents from the effects of the weekend blizzard.
Photo: Mike Ross

Gridlock traffic on East Main St. in Bridgeport, Conn. on Sunday...

Noe Rodriguez works to remove snow of the roof of his home on the 1400 block of Noble Ave. in Bridgeport, Conn. on Sunday Feb. 10, 2013. Residents were still working to dig themselves out from the weekend blizzard.
Photo: Mike Ross

Noe Rodriguez works to remove snow of the roof of his home on the...

Rudy Taueras uses a snow blower to clear a path for customers at Torres VarietyY Grocery on East Main Street in Bridgeport, Conn. on Sunday Feb. 10, 2013.
Photo: Mike Ross

Mike Ross Connecticut Post freelance -East Side residents are forced to walk down East Main Street because sidewalks are covered in snow from Storm Nemo.
Photo: Mike Ross

Mike Ross Connecticut Post freelance -East Side residents are...

Mike Ross Connecticut Post freelance -Bridgeport firetruck attemping to get to a call gets stuck in traffic on East Main street on Sunday afternoon. City Officals are suggesting to residents please dont drive because of gridlock and the ongoing snow removal clean-up
Photo: Mike Ross

Mike Ross Connecticut Post freelance -Bridgeport firetruck...

USA Fuel owner Fayez Ghaly shovels out his truck after becoming stuck in the deep snow while plowing out his gas station at 516 Boston Post Road in Milford, Conn. on Sunday, February 10, 2013.
Photo: Brian A. Pounds

Ashley Jade of Bridgeport and her Jack Russell terrier Pippin pose for a photo in front of giant banks of snow on Fairfield Avenue in Bridgeport, Conn. on Sunday, February 10, 2013.
Photo: Brian A. Pounds

A tractor begins to remove snow from a section of Cutspring Rd., in...

A tractor makes the first trip to remove snow from the north end of Cutspring Rd., in Stratford, Conn., Feb. 10th, 2013.
Photo: Ned Gerard

A tractor makes the first trip to remove snow from the north end of...

Pedestrians walk in the wake of a tractor as it make the first trip to clear snow from the north section of Cutspring Rd., in Stratford, Conn., Feb. 10th, 2013.
Photo: Ned Gerard

Pedestrians walk in the wake of a tractor as it make the first trip...

Rick Lavoie, 52, of Danbury, clears snow from a semi-buried fire hyrant on Park Avenue in Danbury, Conn. Sunday, February 10, 2013.
A blizzard dumped almost two feet of snow on the Danbury area Friday and Saturday.
Photo: Carol Kaliff

Haylee Hughes, 12, sitting, and Bryce Benson, 10, watch for cars to pass by the "mountain" of snow that Bryce and his father Chris, created against a tree at the family's home on Abbott Avenue in Danbury, Conn. Feb. 10, 2013. A blizzard dumped almost two feet of snow on the Danbury area all day friday and early Saturday morning.
Photo: Carol Kaliff

Terrance Knoche, 72, of Danbury, was found dead just outside his Forest Avenue home Saturday morning by relatives who had gone to the house to shovel his driveway, according to Danbury police.

The two local residents were among the five Connecticut residents who died during the storm.

Sgt. Brian Glasser said Mastrogiannis was stricken after returning to his Wade's Landing residence after about 9:50 p.m. Friday.

A neighbor who was in the house attempted to revive him by performing cardio-pulmonary resuscitation, Glasser said, and police took over when they arrived in response to a 911 call a few minutes later.

Mastrogiannis was taken by ambulance to New Milford Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police said.

Danbury police said Knoche, who lived alone and had a variety of medical problems, was found lying face down on the ground outside the side door to his home by relatives about 9:30 a.m. Saturday.

He was pronounced dead at the scene, and was covered by several inches of snow, indicating that he had probably been outside for some time, police said.

In the aftermath of the blizzard, area residents continued to dig out buried cars and to clear sidewalks, driveways and decks Sunday.

The best news for Litchfield and Fairfield counties was that, unlike more recent storms, residents did not lose power.

This time, there was no need for community shelters, and for the most part, people stayed home and stayed off the road so local and state highway crews could plow and sand without interference.

On a precautionary note, some churches canceled services because they didn't want congregants to take their chances on secondary and tertiary roads that might not be plowed.

Students who haven't done their homework in anticipation of yet another snow day Monday may want to reconsider.

While a listing of school closings is not yet available, most local towns say their roads are clear and there have been no reports of downed power lines or other issues that would inhibit school bus travel.

The one exception so far is in Southbury, where officials said there will be no classes for Region 15 schools, and that all afternoon and evening activities in the district, which includes Middlebury, have also been canceled.

Danbury Hospital reported an "uneventful'' weekend, although there were several births during the blizzard.

Hospital officials said the birthing center was busy Friday and Saturday, but it was a normal level of activity and no one arrived in a snowplow to deliver, officials said.

The New Haven Branch of the Metro-North Railroad was operating on a limited schedule Sunday, with trains only running between Stamford and New York City. Railroad officials advised commuters to check the Metro-North website to see if service will be restored on Monday.

Local police did respond to a number of snow-related car accidents, but so far none were reported to be serious, police said Sunday.